Bernie on the Scene: Lesser-Known AL Players

With expanded rosters in major league baseball, some names getting playing time might not be familiar to fantasy baseball players. Of course, there are no surprises in fantasy. No players are hidden away as secrets. But there are some players we don't know as much about.

This will be the first of two articles about a few of those lesser-known guys rostered on big league clubs. I just thought I would delve into them a bit in this space.

This week I look at American League players. Next week, National Leaguers.

I'm not suggesting these guys are "sleepers." I am stating that some people just don't know that much about them. They are superb options for only leagues, deep leagues or DFS play.

Tim Lopes, OF/2B, Mariners, RHB

Lopes was drafted in 2012 by the Mariners out of Edison High School in Huntington Beach, Calif. He was a sixth-round draft pick, getting a $550,000 bonus to keep him from signing with UC Irvine. He was signed as a second baseman. His brother Christian played in the Blue Jays organization. Some say Tim is a better player.

Lopes got 128 plate appearances in 2019 in 41 games. He had seven doubles and one homer. he did steal six bases, getting caught three times. His on base percentage was .359.

A right-handed hitter, this year he has hit righties well, but struggles against lefties. It should be known that he has played against both. He is probably a match-up type hitter, and gets his chances if the matchup looks favorable.

Lopes is 5-foot-11, 180. He just turned 26 in June, so he could be entering his prime years. He has a very measured swing, with an ability to hit line drives. Do not look to him for home run; that's not his game. 

Lopes has good instincts as a base runner, and just may be a good addition for those hunting steals in fantasy. He has been playing the outfield for Seattle, so check his position availability in your league. GRADE: 45 (utility player)

Danny Mendick, 2B/SS/3B, White Sox, RHB

I'm sure Mendick is known to most fantasy players, but he is included here because he isn't a household name. The White Sox second baseman of the future is clearly Nick Madrigal. But with Madrigal hurt, Mendick will get some playing time at second base, along with Leury Garcia.

Mendick was a 22nd-round pick in the 2015 draft out of University of Massachusetts at Lowell. He signed for $2,500, which speaks volumes. Those guys are usually buried on a franchise roster. Not Mendick. He can hit.

Mendick is a solid line-drive hitter, but he won't bring much power from his 5-10, 195-pound frame. And he won't be stealing many bases.

The best-case scenario for him is to offer you a bit of batting average help and maybe a couple gap doubles. He's is strictly a utility player, available as needed. GRADE: 45 (utility player)

Cam Hill, RHP, Indians

Here's a guy I really like. It would not surprise me to see him in the mix as a potential quality set-up guy in 2021. He will be in the Indians pen at that time with Emmanuel Clase and James Karinchak, as Brad Hand may be gone.

Hill was a 17th-round pick of the Indians in the 2014 draft out of Redlands Community College in El Reno, Okla. 

He throws his fastball 92 miles per hour. But it is his slider and curveballs that keep hitters off-balance. He mixes all three pitches very well, favoring his slider, then his curve, then his fastball. He is the prototype of today's young pitcher who rely on breaking balls to fool hitters and change eye levels.

Hill is the type that impresses scouts like me the more we see him. He has superb command and control of all his pitches. He won't walk many batters, forcing them to swing at his pitches.

Hitters will make contact off him, but much of that could be off the end of the bat. I really like this guy to poach a couple wins with a low-scoring team like Cleveland.

Abraham Toro, 3B, Astros, Bats Both

Abraham Toro was a fifth-round pick of the Astros in the 2016 draft. He went to Seminole State College in Oklahoma.

Toro made his big-league debut last August. He played 25 games, but got 89 plate appearances. He hit two homers and drove in nine runs. He also struck out 19 times, but walked nine times as well. 

Toro led the organization in batting average and smoked 17 homers last year for his Double-A and Triple-A teams. He had an on-base percentage of .411, something the Astros clearly took note of.

The guy has some power. As a switch-hitter he is viable from either side of the plate. He gets a great deal of juice from his rather modest 6-0, 205-pound frame.

The problems come on defense. It isn't a strength. So, if he plays in the future, it might be as a DH. GRADE: 50 (regular player)

Codi Heuer, RHP, White Sox

The White Sox took Heuer in the sixth round of the 2018 draft out of Wichita State University, where he was a Friday starter.

Still only 24, Heuer has made the White Sox 28-man squad out of their bullpen. 

From the pen, Heuer has been a four-seam fastball pitcher with a slider and changeup as his secondary pitches. He easily hits 98 miles an hour with that fastball. That velocity and his good command and control might mean the team stretches him out as a starter next year. Much will depend upon how quickly the club's targeted starters perform. But Heuer might also profile as a future closer.

Heuer will give you a quality outing with high strikeout totals and very good command and control. Walks will be tough to come by for hitters.

Heuer is 6-5, but only 190. He is all arms and legs and brings a cross-fire delivery from that downhill plane. I really like what he offers as a bullpen set-up reliever. GRADE: 50 (average major league pitcher)

Luis Rengifo, 2B/SS, Angels, Bats Both

Luis Rengifo was signed by the Angels out of Venezuela. He is yet another very good defensive infielder produced by that country.

Rengifo made his big-league debut last year, and he has been on the Angels roster this season.

Once discussed as a trade chip by the Angels, he has won a utility role with the club due to the fact he is a capable switch-hitter and very good middle-infielder. He has shown some power and could use that home-run tool coming off the bench.

Rengifo has struggled some against quality pitching, but he can drive the ball to the gaps, which will be a huge asset. He uses the entire field very well, taking what the pitcher offers.  History shows he's better as a left-handed hitter.

Only 5-10, 195, Rengifo's power comes as a surprise. But he has a solid frame and uses his lower body well. He has strength beyond his physical statistics.

Rengifo still has to curb his aggressive approach at the plate, which was a factor that caused his high strikeout rate in the past.

A broken hamate bone has limited his development, but he's fine now. GRADE: 45 (utility player)

Mike Brosseau, 2B/3B/OF, Rays, RHB

Mike Brosseau is a rare bird in major league baseball. He was signed by the Rays after he went undrafted following his baseball career at Oakland University. 

Once he signed a professional contract, he began to hit his way through their organization's development program. 

A right-handed hitter, Brosseau fits the Rays mold of the guy who can play anywhere he's asked. And he's done just that. His strong arm makes him a very good candidate to get most of his playing time at third base.

With good contact and bat-to-ball skills, Brosseau is really at his best against left-handed pitching. So if you do claim him, watch for matchups agains lefties. His minor league stats against southpaws was this: .367/432/598. GRADE: 45 (utility player)

SLIDING HOME

• I don't know how these big-league guys are going to hold up playing doubleheaders and playing every day for umpteen days in a row. Not to mention if there are rainouts that further complicate the already complicated baseball schedule.

Your Cardinals fantasy players are in for a long haul with games everyday, and doubleheaders mounting. I think it'll take a toll.

MLB will be sorry they didn't keep the rosters at 30 instead of 28.

• The demotion of Miguel Andujar makes little sense to me, but the Yankees have no place for him to play. That makes him a prime trade target, as I mentioned in my forbes.com article last week. As poor a defender as he is, other teams have rostered worse.

• Whatever happened to Andrew Benintendi? I'll be writing about him in September. It shows that a prospect's press clippings don't always convert to a major league batter's box.

• Thank you for following me on Twitter @BerniePleskoff and for reading my work at forbes.com. Much appreciated.  Here is my most recent article at Forbes.com.